Photos: Local firefighters honor Arizona victims

Photos: Local firefighters honor Arizona victims

Advocate staff photo by PATRICK DENNIS -- Will Brian, of the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office, plays 'Amazing Grace' on the bagpipes during a memorial to honor the 19 firefighters killed Sunday while fighting the Yarnell Hill Fire in Yavapai County, Ariz. At right is a bronze statue that is part of the memorial to Louisiana firefighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty.Advocate staff photo by PATRICK DENNIS -- State Fire Marshall Butch Browning speaks during a memorial to honor the 19 firefighters killed while fighting the Yarnell Hill Fire in Yavapai County, Arizona Monday. Advocate staff photo by PATRICK DENNIS -- Bret Lane, left, of the state Department of Agriculture's Fire Protection branch, and Nathan McCallum, an inspector and investigator with the State Fire Marshal's Office, perform the 'last call' bell ceremony during a memorial Tuesday to honor the 19 firefighters killed Sunday while fighting the Yarnell Hill Fire in Yavapai County, Ariz.Advocate staff photo by PATRICK DENNIS -- This statue is part of the memorial to Louisiana firefighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty at the State Fire Marshal's office. A memorial ceremony to honor the 19 firefighters killed while fighting the Yarnell Hill Fire in Yavapai County, Arizona Monday was held Tuesday at the State Fire Marhal's office. Advocate staff photo by PATRICK DENNIS -- This plaque details the last call-signal for firefighters who have died in the line of duty. A memorial was held at the Louisiana State Fire Marshal's office to honor the 19 firefighters killed while fighting the Yarnell Hill Fire in Yavapai County, Arizona Monday.

As Ascension Parish sheriff’s deputy Will Brian belted out the final notes of “Amazing Grace” on the bagpipes as part of a memorial Tuesday for the 19 firefighters who died Sunday in Yarnell, Ariz., a Baton Rouge Fire Department fire engine zoomed down Wooddale Boulevard en route to a call.

“As we’re taking a moment of silence and memorializing, we see firefighters responding and putting themselves once again in harm’s way,” state Fire Marshal Butch Browning said.

The sirens wailing through the air was a fitting end to the memorial hosted by Browning and state Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain at the Louisiana State Firefighters Memorial, which is next to the state Fire Marshal’s Office, 8181 Independence Blvd.

The 10-minute ceremony featured a traditional ringing of the bell for each firefighter as their final alarm, followed by a moment of silence and the playing of “Amazing Grace.”